The Hunger Games: Peeta's Story
by Erin9723
Summary: 'She must have said my name at least three times until it eventually registers in my brain. It's going to be me Vs. Katniss Everdeen' Peeta's POV - The Hunger Games with a few twists! BTW the story is better than the summary.
1. The Reaping

**The Hunger Games – Peeta Mellark Story**

**1**

Have you ever had that feeling of waking up and knowing today is going to be the worst? We am 100% sure that it will be today. I reach for my older brother, Tim but he's gone already kneading the bread helping my father with the baking, showing off like always. I'm shaking right through my body like always every year on this day. Of course I am it's the day of the reaping. I lean up against the wall and notice across the room my sleeping brother as soundly as a lamb. I get dressed and head into the shop I head over to the decorating pipes and begin. The swirling motions in my hand flow down onto the cakes my father says I have a talent my mother says otherwise.

I finish off the cakes that were cooked yesterday and set off to the market for the daily 100lbs of flour. I pass like always the soup shop but I have to stop because there was no denying the ever-lasting love I have for Katniss Everdeen. She sits there eating soup with her friend that sells it and with the Peacekeeper, Darius. Her smile glistens in the afternoon sun but doesn't quite reach her eyes as they carry the sorrow of her beloved father's death. My eyes still fascinated on her as I walk over to the stall next to her which is ran by the same person and trade a mocking jay pin I found in my back garden for money. As I am still watching Katniss I go across the way to the flour shop and I pay Sally and carry the 100lb sack of flour all the way home, but just as I am leaving I notice the Mayor's daughter, Madge walk over and buy the mocking jay pin.

Just as I reach the door of my house it opens. "Where have you been this day is not a time to go flour shopping!" screeches my mother, "Go get your brother's hand-me-downs and put them on, comb your hair and wash your face, now!" Of course I have to go but I can't help but mumble under my breath that I would have had to even if I hadn't. I get a beating up the backside and instantly know not to cross the line any further. This of course is natural for me, as I am the youngest I am the one to always be in the wrong. I get washed and dressed and go downstairs to comb my hair, to come to another argument between my mother and father.

"What have I told you? They go past the barriers Gerald! I will tell the Mayor. Tim, Fred and I will not eat any of that disgusting wild squirrels, I don't care what you and Peeta do anymore!" my mother shouts. "But Martha it's cheaper and fresher coming from Katniss and Gale! And anyway the Mayor knows and even buys off them!" my father shouts back. "Forget it! Snaps my mother. I slip past them and through the door in among the crowds of 12 – 18 year olds. My names only in 7 times this year as the harvest was pretty good but there is still a chance. You become eligible for the reaping the day you turn twelve. That year, your name is entered once then the next year it's two and so on until when your eighteen that's the year your name is put in seven times. Fred's name is in seven times because he's eighteen and I'm the one who always takes the tesserae.

I follow the silent crowds down the street which like always is full of gloom we will walk back on this path at 3:00pm with two less people and probably the population will stay down by two. Unless of course you live in the poorer part of District 12 nicknamed the Seam then at least you've always got the advantage of used to being low on food. Katniss would be great in the games as she is not only used to be low on food sometimes but can also hunt. Every day in the early morning you can hear the very, very faint footsteps of someone walking along the path outside and whenever I look (which is every day) it's always Katniss with her game bag going out past the border to hunt some wild creatures. She is amazing though every time she knocks on the back door I peek round my father and see her pulling an arrow out of its eye. Every time she does this and every time there is no other damaged part of the meat. The only reason I ever recognised her was just before our first day of school my father pointed her out and said to me _"You see that girl there? I wanted to marry her mother." "Why didn't she?" _I ask _"Because she married a miner who when he sings all the birds stop to listen." _And that day during a lesson the teacher asked who knows the valley song and her hand shot straight up and I swear when she sung all the birds outside stopped to listen. That's when I knew she was the one.

I finally reach the square where the reaping is held, I join a line that contains all the 16 year old boys. I get to the front and like usual there is a peacekeeper in a whit uniform asking for my finger. If you reject you end up getting yourself killed it happens at least every two years when an eighteen year old tries out smart the Capitol but it never works because if you are missing they will search you down and if they can't find you they just kill your family instead. I search for Katniss in on the left where all the girls stand and I just spot a girl with her hair braided back and she turns no doubt looking for her sister Prim as it's her first reaping and I immediately know it's her.

All of a sudden I get distracted, by Effie Trinket (District 12 escort for the games) taps on the microphone. This year she decided to have a bright pink wig with a pink rose. This changes all the time and I think this is the most calming colour she has ever had on her wig. Before she begins she welcomes in Mayor Undersea who then makes a long speech it's the same every year so I tend not to listen. "Well thank you Mayor Undersea. Now a film brought to you all the way from the Capitol." Interrupts Effie Trinket. The film is all about the reason behind the Hunger Games which is referring back 74 years and how the uprising brought this upon us. The film then finishes as numerous 12 year olds burst into tears, but Effie just ignores them and carries on. "Now please give a round of applause to the last victor, Haymitch Abernathy." She says a little sadly. District 12 over the 74 years has had exactly two victors one of which passed away so that leaves the alcoholic Haymitch is one of the reasons no escort or stylists wants to work with District 12 all because of him. Most of the time he doesn't even stop drinking to mentor the tributes in the arena.

Haymitch comes stumbling on to the stage as drunk as ever and makes a head dive off the stage. Two peacekeepers run to his assistance and drag him away. "Right then back to sanity. As usual ladies first." Says Effie pretty embarrassed by Haymitch. She walks across the stage to a bowl full of girls names; her hand swirls around the dish and grabs a slip of paper. She walks back to the microphone, her scary smile still upon her face. She says the worst name I could think to choose. Primrose Everdeen.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks, for reading! Hope you enjoyed it, if you have any cool twists in the story that I could write about later on the story, please tell me and i'll include ideas.<strong>

**I'm sorry if I make my chapters long I just loose myself in writing.**

**Love you all!**

**P.S. Later on in the week I'll be downloading another story called Willow and Rye's Story make sure you look out for it!**


	2. Goodbyes

**2**

Why on earth could it be her name? That was totally unexpected and I know for certain that Prim's name was only in once and that Katniss takes the tesserae in the family. "No! Prim! Prim!" the screaming brings me back to reality. "Prim! Prim!" Katniss shouts but she's blocked by three peacekeepers but she breaks through. Prim who has already come out of the crowd and stopped walking as soon as the shouting from Katniss started. "I volunteer! I volunteer!" screams Katniss. I just stand still shocked that Katniss the love of my life is going into the games. How can this happen one in a hundred and fifty chances and it has to happen.

"Well let's give a big round of applause for District 12 very first volunteer." Exclaims Effie Trinket. Obviously she is delighted that this District will have something a little more exciting this year. She has been hoping ever since she became District 12's Escort that she'll be promoted to a better District. Effie doesn't get what she expected for the round of applause instead everyone in the square puts there three fingers to their lips and raise it towards Katniss and Prim.

"Okay then, now for the boys." Effie Trinket says somewhat sternly and rather embarrassed. She walks over to the boys bowl. I know for a fact now that my name could definitely come out of that bowl. There is a silence that I didn't even know District 12 could do it. They must be holding their breaths. That's when everyone sighs . . . but me.

"Peeta Mellark come on up!" shouts Effie. She must have said my name at least three times until it eventually registers in my brain. It's going to be me Vs. Katniss Everdeen!

I look to my right and a path has been made as people have moved out of my way for me to go up on to the stage, I walk through the crowds and notice my brother Fred watching me walk up I try to beg for him with my eyes but the slight shake of his head indicates he will not help me, he will just watch me die. I carry on walking up to the stage I know I will not be returning to District 12 with the careers and Katniss playing against me, the odds are definitely not in my favour today. As I step on to the stage Effie Trinket says,

"Our tributes from District 12!"

I reach over just as Katniss does the exact same thing and we shake hands, and I have sudden spasm run through my hand but to make it seem natural I just give Katniss' hand a slight squeeze. The doors of the justice building open and I prepare myself for an hour of tears and arguments. Whilst one peacekeeper guides Katniss down one hall, another peacekeeper guides me down another and I'm shown into a room and the door is locked behind me. The room around me is the most amazing thing I've ever seen, there are walls full of the most amazing pictures, from rainbows too sandstorms there must be every type of weather on these walls. Then there's one small picture that catches my eye its of a sunset which has been painted with the most accuracy and the colours are so exact and that's when my peacefulness finishes and I hear arguing coming from down the hall and I realise my parents are about to burst through the doors. I seat myself on a two-seat sofa which is very smooth and silky and prepare myself for . . .

"Well, I'm telling you he has no chance in hell of winning! And his chances were very slim without that other girl!"

"Come on now, give him a chance he could be really skilful if you gave him the time."

"I'M NOT BOTHERED! I just want to know who on earth is going to go down and carry my flour for me!" shouts my mum, clearly more bothered about the bakery than her youngest good-for-nothing son. You'd think after 16 years I would be used to my mum putting me down all the time but in this moment of need you'd think she'll let me off for at least a second. Thankfully a peacekeeper soon ushers them out to allow my other visitors time, I'm not sure who else would want to see apart from maybe my brothers and Joey, Harry and David my mates from school.

I wait for a few minutes and in comes Tim and he walks over to me and gives me a hug as I look over his shoulder I notice Fred who walks in and sits in a chair across from me looking for some reason, embarrassed. It takes me about 3 minutes to get Tim off me, "Peeta, I'm so sorry, this should never of happened to you. If only it had happened last year then I would have volunteered, I'm sorry that mum makes you sign up for tesserae. But we believe you have a chance at winning this thing me and Fred do, don't we Fred?" Fred ignores him, "Don't we Fred?"

Fred just grunts so I just get up and sit beside him, "Fred, I don't blame you for not volunteering. What Katniss did for Prim was a District 12 miracle, we all know that. I never expected you to volunteer for me, to mum I'm as much use to her as the spider she killed this morning, a pest she's just waiting to flick off. Whereas you two are like her two little puppies she doesn't know what she'd do without you." I explain to Fred, and then I lean over and give him a hug, until a peacekeeper comes to ask them to leave, Tim calls back to me "Remember Peeta, you can win this thing if you try!"

As soon as the door closes it opens again and in comes Joey, Harry and David, but their usual joyful smiles are replaced with an unearthly look, Joey and David sit in the chairs across from me and Harry sits next to me on the two seater sofa. "So I guess, you guys won't be able to play three on one tag anymore at school will you?" I say giving a slight laugh to brighten the mood.

"Peeta, I always closely study the replays of The Games so I know what to expect in case this happens too me. You must closely watch your opponents during training so you know how well skilled they are with a particular weapon. You also need to have good back story in order to gain enough sponsors, for example Johanna Mason who won the 63rd Hunger Games she had a back story of all her family being dead and a few sponsors took pity on her at the beginning so she had a few sponsors but once she made it to the final 8, people found out she had a vicious way of killing people so for the remaining tributes they found out to late but her sponsor money soared and she was even sent an axe which is thought to be the second most expensive gift sent to a tribute after Finnick Odair's Spear of course," explains Joey "One final thing don't forget to show off in your secret interview with the gamemakers."

There's not long left so the boys just have time to wish me luck before being ushered out by a peacekeeper a couple of minutes later, I too am ushered out and I re-join Katniss who seems to be showing no emotion, I happen to notice the mockingjay pin I traded in and which was then bought by Madge in her hand, I'm just about to ask her about it when Effie Trinket cuts me off.

"Let's go to the cab out back," she shrills with a hint of excitement in her voice. "Well, hurry up then, we don't want to be behind schedule!"

We just about to leave when in come two peacekeepers that seem to be carrying Haymitch whose drunken than a man whose just lost his whole family. But then again, I've never have seen any of his family around so I push that thought to the back of my mind. The two peacekeepers step in front of us and we all follow them to the back entrance. As I walk through the hallways of the Justice Building, every inch of the walls are filled with delicately painted pictures and I begin to think this might be my only chance I'll get to relax without the fear of someone killing me on the spot in the next few weeks of my life.

* * *

><p><strong>I couldn't wait to write more so I updated today again<strong>

**Sorry about the long chapter guys!**

**Can't wait to hear from you all! I'll use as many ideas as I can for future chapters.**

**Love you all xx**


	3. The Train

As I get into the car my emotions hit me like a ton of bricks, the place I love, the people I love, I will probably never see them again. The drive down too the train station is full of emotions as I watch the people go by through the window I take in the true beauty of District 12. It may be the poorest district in Panem but it doesn't mean that when you look past the starving people and the scattered coal ashes you can tell when it comes to decorating places and markets we have our own unique fashion.

As we come closer to the train station I begin to recognise certain people, some people I saw earlier this morning at The Hob. The train comes into view and whilst eyes are red and puffy from the tears that are still in my eyes, Katniss still shows no emotion she probably thinks I'm a right wimp, but I would of thought she would be sad to be leaving her mother, Prim and Gale and even the fear of never seeing her woods again. You see, Katniss has managed to survive all these years by hunting, I've never seen her hunting because she does it outside of the district but my father trades with her whenever my mother's not around and he always says that she hits them right in the eye every time. I think the first time she ever recognised me will be a day I'll never forget but I bet she forgot about it over time.

"Right, everyone out!" Shrills Effie, "we don't want to be late! The Capitol waits for no one."

The driver opens the door and as I step out of the car the last view of District 12 is overwhelming on one side of the car I can see numerous people waving to Katniss, and on my side I see my brothers and best mates and few people from school but mom and dad are no where to be seen, mom probably thought it was gonna be best to get back to work and I bet she was very reluctant to let my brothers wait to see me off.

Effie gently pushes me towards the capitol train and I head towards it, as soon as I step onto it I can tell that there will be an enormous between District 12 and the Capitol because the train car is so brilliantly decorated. There is an amazing chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and that's just the beginning. There is a mahogany dining table in the centre of the room filled with what seems like thousands and thousands of food delicacies.

I stop sudden and Katniss, who must of been directly behind me, bumps into me. I immediately look behind me and notice her blush before trying to hide it, she then asks Effie where her room is and leaves. In the mean time Haymitch stumbles onto the train and the door closes behind him.

"So, Haymitch do we have a plan of action?" I ask wanting to get to the point as quickly as possible.

"Yeah, you wanna know the plan of action?" He asks, "just wing it." And he falls into a chair and I don't bother asking him any further questions.

I go to my room and start thinking about how I can possibly help Katniss win the Games, after all she has a family who needs her. I consider a few things, and after a couple of hours of thinking Effie knocks on the door and tells me to come to dinner. I get up, have a quick shower and change into a pair of trousers and a green shirt and walk down to the dining car. I try to eat slowly knowing that these food delicacies will very likely make me feel rather nauseous, but both me and Katniss can't help ourselves and indulge on our meal. Katniss finishes before me and asks to be excused, I take this opportunity to ask Haymitch something important.

"Haymitch, I need you to promise me something." he mumbles to show he's listening so I continue, "I know mentors have to choose one tribute to stay alive. You were probably gonna pick Katniss any way but, you and me, we need to get her out of there alive. Can you promise to help me, Haymitch?"

"Yeah, whatever." Haymitch replies, "you must truly love this girl."

I blush and get up to go to my room, happy that I'm not helping Katniss alone . . .

* * *

><p><strong>I thought this was a really fun chapter to write, sorry it's so short compared to the others!<strong>

**I think that Peeta would have wanted to save Katniss from the beginning whereas at this point Katniss was thinking Peeta was planning to kill her.**

**Love you all**

**xx**


	4. Arguments

Today we will arrive in The Capitol and last night I stayed up all night trying to figure out a plan on how I could keep Katniss alive without her realising it because she'd never except my help if she knew. I'm going to show Haymitch my plan at lunch before Katniss has finished being prepped.

And the loss of sleep comes over me and within a minute I'm fast asleep.

* * *

><p>I awake to a knock on my door from Effie telling me I have a big, big, big day ahead of me, as it will be the chariot rides tonight where we will be dressed in some ridiculous costume that represents our district. So that means me and Katniss will be either dressed in a coal miners outfit or some years the tributes have been stark naked covered in what's supposedly ash because as every one knows our district is the coal mining district.<p>

I have a quick shower, get dressed and make my way to the dinning car as I walk I pass Katniss's room and hear high chirps of happiness come from inside and people with a capitol accents talking about things that are my last priorities in life. As I reach the dining car there's only Haymitch at the table and he seems to be sober, so I take a deep breath and go and sit opposite him.

"So, I've come up with a plan," I explain to him.

"Before you go making plans, are you sure you're prepared to die for this girl?" He questions me,"because your gonna have to fight to stop the careers getting at her."

"I'm prepared for everything and anything that stands between her and winning." I explain which sounds braver than what I actually am, "even if I'm on my deathbed help Katniss not me."

Just then Katniss walks in followed by her stylist, to me she looks exactly the same but when Effie walks in she lists numerous differences from yesterday to now. Whilst we're eating lunch I notice Katniss glaring at me for no particular reason as I try and figure it out, a waiter (different from an Avox) asks me if I would like a hot drink which they call hot chocolate, we have a limited supply of chocolate at the bakery but me and my brothers have always eaten the leftover crumbs but this drink is a whole different flavour and I flung down a whole mug before asking for another. An avox places a basket of bread rolls in front of me and without thinking pick one up, dip it in the hot chocolate and take a bite. Everyone around the table looks at me like I'm mad so all I say is "It's good, you should try it."

After everyone has tried bread rolls dipped in hot chocolate which only me, Katniss and Haymitch liked, my stylist Portia takes me too my room for a quick prep. I don't know what to expect but after I've met Portia and my prep team, I'm bathed in numerous concoctions until my skin glows then my hair is gelled to the side and they seem to think guys need a slight bit of make-up which surprises me. Portia puts me into a t-shirt and jeans with a casual blazer.

As we near the Capitol I go back into the dining car where Haymitch, Effie and Katniss are waiting, "when will we be at the Capitol?" I ask Effie, as I sit down on a chair.

"We'll be there just at the end of this tunnel," she explains. "You'll have the shock of your life when you see how fabulously in style we are, we've had some real modernising done this year it looks amazing!"

As we get closer to the train station we hear a roar of people coming from one end of the train and I can't hear the argument Katniss and Haymitch are having, as I'm about to get up to look out the window Katniss stabs a knife into the table, but I'm distracted again by the crowd from on the train station, I begin to wave and they love my enthusiasm towards them. I realise this is a way to get sponsors, which is exactly what Katniss needs in the arena,

"Come on, Katniss they love it!" I encourage, "come on!" But she doesn't budge and then I hear Haymitch say something that sounds like he's hinting to Katniss that he thinks I can win the Games and not her which makes me angry. Why would he say that, when he knows we've both got a deal to keep her alive.

"Come on, you two, you need to be at the door before they open!" Explains Effie, "hurry up now."

I make sure Katniss and Effie go first and I turn to Haymitch. "Haymitch, we had a deal," I argue with him. "You need to help her not tell her she's got no chance in winning! Why didn't you encourage her to go to the window?"

"Because she is the opposite to you, you are charismatic, surrounded by friends and she is a survivor and a hunter," he explains. "So both of you could win in your own way it depends on the sponsors, I will express your strengths that's my job, so don't go questioning the way I mentor because I believe I could get one of you out, so leave it!"

"Well, how come no one else has ever won since you became a mentor?" I know I'm taking it too far, "maybe you need to change the way you mentor the tributes, because if you got to know them you might actually find something they're good at and they could win."

"No one has ever volunteered in district 12 as you know, and no one has ever wanted the other tribute to get out alive." He explains, but not as fierce because I've hurt him, "first impressions mean a lot in these games, Katniss volunteered and you seemed to me almost happy, but now I understand it's because she finally noticed you for once. That's why this year's different, now go on Effie will be having a heart attack about where you are."

* * *

><p><strong>What did you think about Peeta and Haymitch's argument?<strong>

**Let me know in the reviews!**

**Love you all!**

**xxx**


	5. Chariots

When we arrive at the training centre we are taken straight to the prep area and me and Katniss are led off in different directions by our prep teams. I can't stand capitol people but my prep team are something different, they look completely crazy but they seem to really hate their job, I'm sure if the president heard of the thing they'd said, they'd have been Avox's before the 69th Hunger Games (which was when they started there jobs). So when they begin to talk about how bad the Games are I generally join in.

"I just hate these stupid games," stated Summer. "How can the president sit by and watch his country fight against each other through their children and no want to stop it!"

"Never mind silly Snow," exclaimed Phillipe. "I don't understand why the people of the Capitol haven't made a stand against them, I'd rather be in the districts than watch someone who I got to know die on a tv screen and not be able to do anything about it!"

"If Snow wanted to change the games, he would have done it from the beginning," I explain. "After all, Snow has the power."

"But that's where your wrong, Peeta, Snow doesn't have the power," Alexa counters. "Whether Snow likes it or not, if he does something the Capitol don't like his life is on the line because the people of the capitol have the power."

We continue this argument for another hour whilst I'm being soaked and bathed in numerous concotions, and my hair is gelled until it's stiff. It's nearly time for the chariot rides, when I finnally see my terrible miners costume. I watch as Portia unveils the outfit, and I nearly have a heart attack the outfit Portia is showing me is nothing like anything anyone from District 12 had ever worn. The material is soft and silky, but when placed on me it seems surprisingly heavy!

"Portia, how come no one from district 12 has ever worn any thing like this?" I ask,"It's amazing!"

"Well, this is my and Cinna's first year . . ." I interrupt her.

"And there's no surprise why your here then," I say. "All the newbees get put with us." Which is true because we don't deserve the best stylists out of the districts, so new stylist get put with us to see what they can do and then they move to better district or stay with us.

"No,actually," Portia explains. "Me and Cinna chose district 12, after doing some research we thought that district 12 suffers the most of the districts, so they deserve better and we already had ideas that would only suit a couple of districts."

"Oh," is all I say, because I am literally gobsmacked that she has just said this.

* * *

><p>I'm down at the bottom of the training centre where there are numerous horses with carriages and I begin Phase One of my plan. I walk over to a carriage labeled District Two, and wait until finally I see a very, muscled boy and a girl with short Brown hair come walking over.<p>

"What do you think your doing?" asks the muscled boy, with the girl right behind him, "You trying to interfeer with our carriage?"

"No, of course not," I exclaim edging backwards. "I just wanted to say hi, i'm wanting to know the people before they die, but a few of them seem very friendly and i'm hoping one of you guys kill them" I see the boys puzzled look on the boys face and I know i'm acting alot feircer than I am but this is what Haymitch advised if my plan is to work. "Let me start again, I'm Peeta Mellark from District 12."

"Cato Hadley, District Two," the boy says. "And this is Clove Fuhrman, my tribute partner, now get going kid before I punch your pretty little face!"

I move back to my carriage where I see, Cinna, Katniss, Haymitch, Effie and Portia. Cinna has a lit match and I'm hoping he's planning to burn the place down so none of us have to take part in these stinking games.

"Hello, Peeta," Cinna says. "I was just explaining to Katniss that i'm going to set your capes elite but I promise it's not real fire and even if it was you wouldn't feel it because these suits are fireproof."

Cinna's interupted by a booming voice, "Tributes prepare for the chariot rides, gates opening in 30 seconds."

"Come on you two, don't want to be late." Effie says, hurrying us into the carriage, "Hurry now, come on."

I lean over to whisper in Katniss' ear, "I'll rip your cape off if you rip mine off."

I hear a slight giggle and then she says, "Deal."

The gates open and you can only just hear the commentators (Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith) over the roar over the crowd, I watch as district 1 goes out followed by Cato and Clove and all too soon I watch district 11 roll out of the gate.

"Here we go then," Cinna says as he lights mine and Katniss's cape and I'm all prepared to rip Katniss's cape off when I realise that I don't feel any hotter, the only real difference I can tell is that my costumes getting lighter.

We roll out of the gate and we're met with what seems to be thousands among thousands of people all cheering for the tributes in front of us. But when they see us all eyes are just staring at us and then they begin clapping again but I can tell that its all for us. I look over at Katniss and she's wearing exactly the same outfit as me but it suits her so much better than me.

I casually lean over and grab her hand but she pulls it away and just stares at me. "Come on, they'll love it, you no what there like." And she then let's take her hand, and we raise it in the air, the applause, if it's possible, gets louder and both of us wave. Flowers are thrown at us, and as I look at Katniss she's showing a side to herself that I only see when she's around her sister, Prim, she's going as far as catching kisses blown to her and then sending one back. The crowd love us, the crowd love Katniss.

We're at the city circle and Snow gives his usual speech, even though what he's saying is a complete lie, about us having the courage to come whilst having to make some sacrifices along the way. He's talking like we actually had a choice which if it was true, none of us would be here.

When we're back at the training centre our team applaudes us, and Effie then sits us down for supper, which it turns out is a meal between dinner and bed. Because training is tomorrow Haymitch gives us a lecture about how to act amongst the other tributes.

"First things first," he says. "Do any of you have any secret skills you want to keep from one another?"

"I already know, that Katniss can shoot amazingly well," I reply. "But I can't do anything, unless you count baking bread."

"Sorry, I don't but Katniss how well can you shoot?"

"I'm alright," is all she says and I'm literally struck for words. Why isn't she telling Haymitch the truth?

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks guys!<strong>

**I'm not sure if I'm gonna keep it the same as the books, tell me in the reviews!**


	6. Training

"What are you on about?" I shout at her and the whole table stare at me, so I continue but a little calmer, "if your going to be in these games you need to tell him, your amazing at shooting, my father buys your squirrels and every time we end up getting a great meal out of it because you always hit them right in the eye."

"Well, what about you?" She says, I'm not sure where she's taking this, "you can carry a 100lb sack of flour right over your head, and you came second to your brother in the wrestling competition last year."

I'm shocked I didn't think she ever noticed me, " in all the years I've seen, they've never had a sack of flour at the cornucopia."

"Well, what about hand-to-hand combat," she suggests.

"I've never seen anyone win by wrestling some one to death." I just come out and say it, "my mother doesn't even think I can win, she said ' the slightest chance he might of had have been taken away now because she'll win for sure!'"

Katniss just sits there still determined that she does not lose this argument. She's just about to say something when she's cut off by Haymitch, "Katniss, you need to tell me these things but Peeta, don't underestimate hand-to-hand combat, so I'm guessing you'll be alright to train together?" We both nod so he continues, "when your training, Katniss don't show off your skills with a bow avoid the archery station completely, and Peeta don't pick up something that shows off your physical strength. One last thing before you go to bed, whilst training." Katniss is about to cut in but Haymitch stops her, "stick together."

Katniss goes to bed, and when I'm about to follow Haymitch grabs my arm, "I'm guessing the hand holding was your idea?" I nod, "Well done, she really showed her spirit thanks to you. Keep it up." I nod and he lets go of my arm to allow me to leave. As I fall to sleep the last thought I have is that Katniss is a girl on fire.

* * *

><p>The next morning I'm woken up by Effie knocking on my door, at the foot of my bed I see my training clothes, I'd almost forgot about training today. I have a shower and today I decide to tak my time in the shower today, after all it's Katniss who needs the training not me, when I step out I regret staying in for so long because the air outside the shower seems absoloutly freezing. I quickly slip on my training outfit which I notice has a 12 on the shoulder, obviously representing my district and I go down the hall to the dining room to have breakfast. I'm expecting to see everyone there but Effie and Haymitch are the only ones there.<p>

"Where's Katniss?" I ask Effie, "I thought we were supposed to down in the training centre by 9:00, it's 8:40."

"I don't know," she replys. "I knocked on the door at 7:30 just like I did you, I'll just go and get her." Effie then leaves the room to go and find out where Katniss is.

I sit down and I eat a bowl of fish soup which has a very interesting flavour, when i'm done I grab some bread rolls and a mug of hot chocolate, i'm on my 5th roll when Katniss and Effie come in. Me and Katniss are identical, when she's me she groans, then she sits down and grabs a bread roll. All to soon it's time to go down to the training centre, Effie and Katniss walk towards the lift and I pull Haymitch over to the side.

"How can I get to know the others if she's with me all the time?" I ask, "Ever think of that?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow after training," he explains. "I've got a plan."

"But . . ."

"Trust me."

I nod my head, and board the lift with Effie and Katniss, the lift is really fast but things are still really awkward because there's nothing to talk about. One of us is training for no use, because I'll not come back but Katniss must. We exit off the lift and wave goodbye to Effie, it feels like we're babies because the other tributes aren't escorted down by anyone they come down alone. Atala is the lead trainer and she starts talking, "No fighting with the other tributes, you'll get more than enough chances in the arena, there four compulsory stations the rest are for you to choose from. But remeber don't ignore the survival skills as alot of tributes die of exposure as it can kill just as easily as a knife." And with that the other tributes move to the stations, Katniss is still stood there and when she turns around she jumps out of her skin, obviously not expecting me to go along with what Haymitch said.

"So, what shall we do first?" I ask.

"Climbing,"she suggests,"maybe?"

I nod and we join the long line of tributes that are waiting to climb on the aparatus, not many people can manage to get all the wy to the top, but the people who can generally seemed to be rather weak and small. I watch as a 12 year old girl climbs to the top with ease quicker than anyone else, and then it's Katniss' turn she also climbs it quickly and delicately i'm guessing she climbed trees in the woods. After she's come down it's my turn and I put one foot up then another, then I slip the trainer at the station as well as Katniss encourage me to continue so I try again. One foot, two feet, another foot and then I slip again, the careers are standing in a corner laughing at me, so eventually I give up and we move onto another station.

By the end of the day me and Katniss had been to three different stations: climbing, fire making and knife throwing. Naturally Katniss had a knack to all three, her skills with a bow and arrow obviously influenced her aim when throwing knives, and i'm guessing she would have built fires on cold days, we didn't talk alot as i figured Katniss wasn't a very chatty person and as it was she seemed to feel awkward any time anyone spoke to her. Dinner is very uneventful, but really I just want to know what plan Haymitch has as most likely i'll be a part of it.

At the end of dinner Katniss goes to bed while everyone's still finishing off dessert, when i'm finished Cinna follows me, I'm about to walk into my room when he grabs my shoulder, so I turn around.

"Hello, Cinna," I say, I've not spoke to Cinna properly yet and I feel awkward that I'm talking to someone I've been acidently ignoring. "What can I help you with?"

"Follow me," is all he says and I can't exactly say no, so I follow. He walks back down the corridor, past the dining room where I can still hear Haymitch and Effie chatting. At the end of the corridor there's a door, I've not been in it yet because i've had no reason too explore the level further, Cinna opens the door and there's a spiral staircase. We walk up them and it leads into a garden out in the open, he walks over to the fence at the edge of the roof, and looks out over the Capitol. "Did you know that Distritc 12 is 1025 miles in that direction?"

"No," I answer. "What did you want me for?"

"Haymitch told me about your crush and I just want you to know that I'm here to help," he replys.

"Why does the Capitol let tributes up here?" I ask, "after all there's nothing stopping us jumping to our death, is there?"

"Actually there's a force feild," Cinna answers. He pick an apple from a nearby tree and throws it off the roof top, and it immediatly bounces back into his hand unharmed. "It stops anything or anyone, falling or jumping off. But like I said I'm helping with Haymitch's plan."

"What exactly is his plan?"

"That's for him to tell you, now off you go." and with that I walk back down the stairs to bed, I wish I knew what this plan is.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading, in the book Peeta says that Cinna shows him the rooftop so thats what I did<strong>

**Hope you like'd it, keep reveiwing**

**Love you all**

**xxx**


	7. Camouflage & Bread

The next morning is the usual, get up, shower, dressed, breakfast, Haymitch lecture and then entering the lift, I just want today to be over because I need to know what the plan is. When me and Katniss step off the lift we het to go to which ever station we want without instructions from Atala. We head over to the snare setting station, anyone who listens in the Hob would know that Katniss and Gale don't only shoot but they set up snares so Katniss is obviously very good at this and the trainer at the station seems to admire her. After Katniss explains to the trainer everything she knows about snares, the trainer shows me how to set a basic snare which is tricky enough, but she gives Katniss a snare not meant for animals but for people, when set correctly it leaves an opponent dangling 6ft in the air. We stay on the station for an hour and a half by which time I have mastered the basic snare and Katniss has mastered her snare.

Katniss let's me chose the next station so I chose camouflage, neither of us are expecting to be very good at this station. But it turns out that 10 years painting the bakery cakes has finally paid off as I seem to have a natural talent for art. Katniss however soon gets bored and after ten minutes I realise she's given up and has turned to watch Cato and the boy from district 1 throw spears, but then I also notice a small head w a teaching Katniss's every move, it's the 12 year old from district 11. So I go and stand by a fake tree to check the pattern on my arm and it instantly disappears into the tree, at this point Katniss turns around and stares all she says is, "wow."

"I used to do the cakes," I explain.

"Cakes?" She says, "what cakes?"

"At the bakery," I answer. "After all these years I can finally thank my mom for something."

"Yeah," she giggles, "finally.

We're then interrupted by Seneca Crane, the head Gamemaker, inviting us to lunch and I hear groans from all around the area. No one likes lunch, breakfast and dinner we have on our floor but lunch we are forced to eat with all the other tributes, me and Katniss walk into the dining room and see that the careers have already taken up the biggest table.

"Do you wanna sit there?" I ask indicating a table for two in the corner, "unless you wanna sit with the careers either way it's your choice."

"No way," she exclaims. "I'm not sitting next to them jerks, they think they own these games, I'll never betray district 12 like that."

She then walks over and sits down at the table for two, "do you mind if I go get some lunch, cause I'm kinda hungry?"

"No, no, of course not." I answer and she wanders over to the buffet table picking up a bowl of lamb stew and dried plums before continuing down the table. While she's gone an avox puts a bowl of bread rolls on our table, and so I ask for two mugs of hot chocolate as well. Katniss comes back with her plate piled high. I then get up as well and go over to the buffet table, not a lot looks good today so I just grab what they call 'BBQ chicken' and go sit back down opposite Katniss. I notice that in the basket of bread rolls there isn't just capitol made bread but district bread as well.

"Do you want the bread boy to explain the different types of bread in the basket for you?" I ask Katniss trying to make conversation.

"Sure, bread boy, tell me everything you know about bread."

So I do, I go through all the bread from the districts, naming the ingredients, what the shape is influenced by and where the recipe originated from. "So this bread is from District Four, it has all the usual bread making ingredients but they include seaweed which makes it tinted green and apparently it originates from when old fisherman used to bake bread they'd accidentally drop some seaweed into it, but it became so popular it became the district bread."

"Wow!" Katniss exclaims, "you really do know a lot about bread, who told you all this?"

"My dad, but apparently the stories go back generation after generation, but my mom is convinced there not real, my mom's very opinionated and she expresses them in many ways," I answer.

By this time Katniss and I have completely finished eating and every one else had gone back to training, so we leave our table and go back to training, during the afternoon me and Katniss practice identifying poisonous, edible and medical plants which Katniss unsurprisingly is really skilled at but I'm awful and eventually it's time to get back to our level. As soon as I the elevator doors open I head straight for Haymitch determine to find out his plan, he takes me to another room and explains it all too me, it's gonna be hard but I can do it for Katniss's sake.

"So you want me to train alone after you made me and Katniss stick together themes last couple of days," I repeat back to him. "But that doesn't even make sense."

"It will eventually, I've spoke to the careers mentors and they say there willing to give you a chance so after your private sessions tomorrow morning you must go to level two I will be there and so will Dominic, district two's mentor so you need to explain your plan and then show you any skills you have. Ok?" He instructs.

I nod and walk back to my room, I'm going to seem like a complete betrayer by the end of these games, dead or alive but my goal will always stay the same, get Katniss out of the arena alive and then I drift off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading guys! Btw even if your a guest please review!<strong>

**Spoiler Alert! Later on in the story Peeta will find out Gale and Katniss's secret, what secret you might be wondering, you'll have to keep reading to find out!**

**Love you all!**

**xxx**


	8. Inspections

I wake up the next morning, expecting to get up and go downstairs to bake bread, when I realise that life is far behind me, I'm a tribute in the hunger games and I'm never going to return to the bakery even if I wanted too. I have a quick shower and put on my training clothes which have been washed and are at the foot of my bed.

I then walk down the corridor into the dining room expecting it to be empty and yet Katniss is sitting there eating breakfast so I go and join her. We chit chat a bit like old friends and then the subject gets onto home, "so, did Gale come and see you after the reaping?"

She pauses before she answers, "erm, yeah he did. Did your brothers come to see you?" She asks, clearly wanting to avoid the subject.

"Yeah, we didn't talk much though, I mean they felt bad they couldn't volunteer. Everyone seems to think your mom's planned your relationship with Gale a while ago and fate has brought you even closer." I say stearing the conversation back to Gale.

"Well, that's never going to happen because Gale is . . ." And then she's cut off by Haymitch and Effie coming in.

"So you guys know the game plan, right?" Haymitch asks, and we both nod. "Katniss show off your skills with a bow, and Peeta throw some weights around or something that show your physical strength, then remember go straight back to training afterwards, now you need to get down there, off you go."

Katniss and me both leave into the escalator and we're soon waiting to be called, the private session with the Gamemakers is important because they give you a score between twelve and zero, twelve have never been given, and come to think of it there's never been an eleven either. Anyway the higher the score the more skilled you are and that's what sponsors go on, if not how you look then they go by your score.

I can't impress them to much but district 12 never do, it goes the boy tribute from district one then the girl tribute from District one and so on, so Katniss will be last and I will be second to last. But soon enough I'm called forward, and I enter into the area we've been training in these last couple of days and I head over to the weightlifting station and I can tell I won't get a very high score as the Gamemakers are so bored they get side tracked by the big bowl of juice that they've just been served. Eventually I'm left to go and I leave hoping Katniss can capture there attention, I head into an elevator and select the number two where Dominic and Haymitch are waiting.

When I exit the lift I see a very stern man looking at me he asks me to walk into the centre of the room so I obey, he then slowly walks around me as if inspecting me. He then asks me about the plan so I begin to explain and he seems intrigued by the plan he nods his head and asks me and Haymitch to leave.

"Did I do ok?" I ask as the elevator doors close

"I think you did great but now for your private training, I want you to learn to choose one weapon and try to master it because then you can at least defend yourself and Katniss. She probably will be angry but the capitol will understand and that's all you need," he explains, confusingly. "Now off you go get training!"

I walk out of the elevator and in front of me is a smaller replica of the training level and there is one trainer who is waiting for me. She's medium height, long red hair and bright hazel eyes she sees me from the other side of the room and walks over to me.

"Hi, I'm Selena," she says shaking my hand. "I'll be training you in anything you want to know or learn, so what do you want to do first?"

"Maybe, spear throwing?" I suggest, "I want to try mastering a weapon."

"Great! I'm best skilled at spear throwing, come on over." She waves me over to a bunch of dummies with spears next to them. "So first thing you'll need to know is the correct grip, so if you hold it like your throwing a giant dart, that's right. Now look right down the spear, bring your arm back and throw."

I do exactly what she says and the spear lands a centimetre away from the middle of the target on the dummy, "that would be a fatal wound but not immediate death, we'd be able to save them here in the capitol but probably not in the arena, so well done." Serena said. I pick up another spear throw it and it hits right in the centre, we continue with this for an hour, before moving on to some survival skills and by the end of the day I'm able to name most edible plants, build a decent fire with almost anything, and climb up and down the ropes with great ease.

When I get back to our level I see Katniss and if looks could kill I'd be dead, I know Haymitch said she'd be angry but Katniss is different she can get really angry when she wants too. I go to my room and get changed into some casual clothes and go into the dining room for dinner, I purposely sit away from Katniss because I'm slightly scared of her right now but I let it pass because after all I love Katniss Everdeen.

* * *

><p><strong> Thanks for reading!<strong>

**You'll find out Gale and Katniss's secret soon but we stll have the scores, day with mentors.**

**Love you all**

**xxx**


	9. Scores & Coaching

We all finish our meal but today instead of going to bed, we go into the screening room to find out the scores from today's private sessions, careers generally get in the 8 - 10 range whereas us 'others' usually get less than that, after all we haven't had training all our lives, but I'm hoping Katniss will get a score high enough to be recognized by all the sponsors.

As we sit down on the sofa Haymitch questions us, " so tell me just how bad was it?" This makes anger surge through my body looking for a way out but I just about manage to keep calm.

"Mine was awful," I say breaking the silence. "All I did was throw around some heavy objects and they weren't even watching me, so I'm not expecting a high score."

"Your session sounds great compared to mine," Katniss says. "I shot an arrow at the gamemakers!"

"Why, did you do that?" I ask.

"Well like you said, they weren't paying attention to me, and anyway it wasn't at them it was aimed at an apple that was in a roasted pigs mouth which they had just brought in, then I stormed out without being dismissed."

By this time Cinna, Portia and Effie had joined us and listened to Katniss explain what she did. When she finishes explaining I'm just about to tell her how stupid she was and how she thinks she can possibly make it out the arena alive now, when thankfully Effie cuts in. "Katniss, exiting without being dismissed is impeccably bad manners!"

Katniss just merely rolls her eyes and then Caesar comes onto the tv screen in the room, which makes everyone sit down and shut up. "Tonight's the night folks, are the good looking ones the good fighters or are the not so good looking ones hiding a hidden talent? The gamemakers have made there decision so let's see them . . ."

I make a mental note to remember the names of the careers if I'm going to make sure Haymitch's plan works, Caesar continues talking, "From District one, Marvel Quaid with a score of 9, Glimmer Rambin with a score of 9. From District two, Cato Ludwig with a score of 10, Clove Fuhrman with a score of 10." Caesar seems to be taking forever to get to me and finally it comes, "From District twelve, Peeta Mellark with a score of 8."

I'm utterly shocked how on earth did I get an 8? I get given a few pats on the back and then it all goes quiet, "Katniss Everdeen with a score of 11!" Wow! Katniss got an eleven! It's great for her but bad for me, because it makes her a bigger target so I need to try even better keeping the careers away from her. I go to my room and lock the door behind me, I never thought it was going to be this hard to get the girl on fire home and with that I get into bed and go into immediate sleep.

The next day isn't for training, well not for the sort of training we've been doing because today is a day dedicated all to Effie and Haymitch. Tonight is the big interview and there going to give us some tips on what to say and how to display ourselves in front of the crowd as well as perfect manners. I have to talk to Haymitch first, whilst Katniss goes with Effie, Haymitch takes we to a room with two couches, I sit on one of them and Haymitch sits opposite.

"Why don't we order more breakfast?" He says surprisingly, "pancakes?"

"No, thank you, Haymitch." I thought you were teaching me about what to say, not feed me till I'm fat!"

"Well, you know the plan so what more do you need to know?"

"What about how I portray myself? Am I smart, funny, strong, shy? What am I Haymitch?"

"You're a guy with a secret which he's about to tell the world," he says sarcastically. "I thought we went through this." I just stare at him in a quizzical way until he continues, "ok, so your strong, charismatic and funny, so start off with a few jokes. If Caesar asks you any serious question try turning it into something the capitol will remember you by, let me give you an example. What do you think about the Capitol?"

"The Capitol is a beautiful place with beautiful sights within it, and I'm sure I will never forget it, but I do miss home a bit." I answer, everything that just came out of my mouth was a total lie and I think Haymitch wonders if I was telling the truth or not, before he starts to clap.

"Bravo!" He exclaims, "you Didn't just make it memorable you turned it into poet r y, that's what we want, now you didn't answer my question, pancakes?"

I burst out laughing at this but I nod my head and with the touch of a button they appear, they've been drizzled with golden syrup which makes me drool. In district twelve, the only syrup we could ever get would be out of our apple tree in the back garden, and it would be salty but the stuff from the Capitol is really sweet and rich. When Haymitch is still on his third pancake, I'm just finishing my twelfth and I am absolutely stuffed I don't know how we survived in District 12 without this food.

"So, in your interview tonight I want you to just be yourself, but can you help me with something?" Haymitch asks when he's eaten his last pancake, I nod so he continues, "I have know idea how Katniss should portray herself."

"How about protective? She's really protective of her family, or maybe brave?" I suggests, "she didn't show any emotions during the reaping? Just think about her everyday life after all she has lots to do in her life surely you could find something."

"I'll try but I'm not sure that I'll find something, now let's go to lunch."

* * *

><p><strong>I know there wasn't a lot of drama in this chapter I promise there will be next chapter.<strong>

**Thanks for reading**

**Love you all**

**xxx**


	10. The Avox

At lunch, I can barely eat a thing after all those pancakes, obviously Haymitch thought about this and is why he only ate a few. Effie and Katniss seem annoyed at each other, me and Haymitch have no idea why so we try to lighten the mood with a few jokes and Effie talks to us like nothing happened but when we try and bring Katniss into the conversation she just answers with a yes or no and then brushes us off. I hate to see Katniss upset, it's like seeing a stranded puppy on the street in the rain, you just want to go over and give it a big hug and look after it, but I know this could never happen no matter who Katniss is with in the end she likes to think herself as the big dog who can survive without an owner and protect it's pups, but I think she hates the fact that occasionally she needs help.

After I've had a small bowl of soup and some bread rolls, it's time for my hour with Effie, so we go to my room and she puts me in a really stiff suit and some tight shoes when I complain about she just says, "it hurts to be fashionable, now walk." I walk up and down my room, with Effie every so often adjusting what I wear or how I walk.

When she seems pleased with herself we move on to table manners, which she's glad to see I'm great at, "I'm so happy, I have at least one polite tribute this year, now next we must inspect your speech writing." This comment angers me, it's not my fault I was brought up in the town whilst Katniss was brought up in the Seam, merchants generally grow up with perfect manners whereas the Seam's only mission in life is to survive which I admire them for, the families in the Seam at least have there priorities straight.

The Seam is what all of District twelve call the poorer part of the district, there families are usually the most common to die of starvation, but it's still quite common for merchants to die of starvation too. My family live on stale/ burnt leftovers and if we don't have anyone buy anything from us we'll have a bunch to eat all at once before quickly running out of money and if we become bankrupt we can't survive like the people from the Seam can because they grow up never knowing when they'll next have a crumb of food on the table. I'm probably one of the only merchants who admire them because when there at school they act like nothing in the world is bothering them, when actually everything in the world is bothering them. We continue over the next 2 and a half hours on speech writing because Effie has done everything she can do to teach me.

By the time it's dinnertime Effie is happy with my work, thankfully my pancakes have finally gone down so I have room for dinner. About 5 minutes after me, Effie, Cinna and Portia have sat down at the dinner table Katniss comes storming in the room closely followed by Haymitch, she seems if possible angrier than what she was at lunch. The starter is a smooth pink soup which is topped with raspberries, you'd think it was a dessert but after tasting it, you can tell why it's a starter but it tastes delicious. The main, comes in and it's lamb stew with plums, I've never tried it before but it looks tempting, I can see the look on Katniss's face who sits across from me she certainly wants to dig in. We both get a bowl full not knowing what to expect, I wait for the others to get there's before eating, but Katniss doesn't care she just digs in and just as I'm about to start she asks for seconds,

"Maybe you should pace yourself after all you still have dessert!" Effie replies to Katniss's begs.

"I'll skip dessert and I'll just have this forever," she says eagerly. "Please!"

"We have a special dessert for you though!" Effie states and she glances at Haymitch, "but I guess one more bowl couldn't hurt."

Without further negotiation, Katniss fills her bowl to the very brim with the stew, I take a spoonful and my mouth explodes with flavour, it's like a party in my mouth. I continue to eat it barely giving myself time to breathe, but I'm snapped back to reality when I see fire in the corner of the room. It's a cake, obviously for Katniss because of her training score, "Katniss this is for you, our girl on fire!" Effie exclaims and then Katniss does the stupidest thing in the world, "Does it have alcohol in it?" She must be absolutely stupid you never talk to an Avox, unless it's to demand something, but she continues to talk, "oh, I know you!"

"Katniss, you can't possibly know her, she's an avox," Effie explains.

"No I do know her though," she continues, she's so stubborn why can't she just shut up "what is an avox, by the way?"

"An avox, Katniss is a traitor of the Capitol," Haymitch explains further. "Only talk to them if you demand anything."

"I know who she looks like!" I burst out, "Delly Cartwright! It's the hair, I was thinking exactly the same."

"Yes, your right," Katniss replies, but she mouthed thank you towards me.

"Well, if that's all it is then! And yes it does contain alcohol but it's been burned off." Effie says, glad that Katniss doesn't know a traitor, it's a complete lie of course. This avox looks nothing like Delly, Delly is an old friend who I've known forever, she's kind and caring but I'm determined to find out who this avox is or looks like to Katniss, but I'll leave it until after the interviews for now.

Getting ready for the interviews seems to race by, because all I can think about is what I'm going to say, will it have the right reaction? Or will I get all the sponsors instead of Katniss? It all depends on what the sponsors are looking for. My prep team have done my hair Keller to the side and I have minimal make-up, thank God, they then hand me over to Portia who dresses me up in a dark suit with a red shirt underneath the jacket, I look good but I still seem to look like myself.

"Are you nervous?" Portia asked, "Haymitch told me about the plan."

"I am a little but I'm determined to get it right," I replied. "For Katniss's sake, not for my sake."

"It's time you went otherwise Effie will explode," laughs Portia. "Promise me though, that you won't sell yourself short."

"I promise," and with that I give Portia a quick hug and walk out of the room towards the lift, I hope I get this right.

* * *

><p><strong>Not a very dramatic chapter, next chapter is the interview, I know I put the bit about Delly in the wrong bit but I forgot about it.<strong>

**Thanks for reading**

**Love you all**

**xxx**


	11. Gale & Katniss's Secret

All the tributes are made to queue up in a corridor which has stairs leading to the stage where the interviews will take place. Glimmer, the female tribute from District 1 is first to have her interview, then followed by Marvel, the male tribute from District 1, then Clove, and then Cato, it continues like this. Katniss is in front of me in the queue and she looks beautiful in a red full length dress, Cinna has done a lovely job in the design. It's soon Katniss's turn, she gets sent just up the stairs, as Thresh is finishing his interview and any questions Caesar has for him he gives a simple yes or no answer.

The buzzer rings, signalling the end of Thresh's interview and the start of Katniss's, I watch her on the TV in the corridor of where I stand. She walks out, looking among the crowd she turns pale, she walks over to Caesar and he asks her, "that was quite an entrance you made at the tributes parade the other day, want to tell us about it?" She stares at the audience, not answering Caesar's question, so he repeats it.

"I was just hoping I wouldn't burn to death," she answers, this is true of course but it makes the entire audience laugh. The interview questions move on to her favourite things in the Capitol, with which she answers, the lamb stew with plums everyone laughs at this too. Caesar continues to ask questions about her strengths of course she lies about this so no one knows her secret. Eventually, Caesar asks her about her dress, and she offers to give a twirl and when she does the bottom of the dress turns into flames, she continues to twirl until she looks dizzy and Caesar has to guide her back to the chair. Then comes the heartbreaker, the subject of Prim, her sister.

"You were very brave volunteering for your sister, did she come and say goodbye to you?" Katniss nods her head so Caesar continues, "what did you say to her?"

"I said I would try to win, I would try to win for her," she replies, a lot of the Capitol audience have tears in there eyes, but the buzzer goes and as she stands I'm lead up the stairs where I stand backstage.

"And last but not least, from District twelve, Peeta Mellark!" Caesar announces, and I'm given a slight push from behind and I walk on stage, the lights are so bright and the audience look like a bunch of clowns in a circus. I walk over to Caesar, waving to the crowd as they applaud me, I sit down in th chair next to Caesar, we exchange a few jokes which makes the audience laugh out loud.

"So, Peeta," Caesar says, "what do you think of the Capitol and don't say anything bad." He jokes.

"It's different, very different."

"In what way give us an example."

"Ok, well the showers here are pretty weird," I say, the audience are falling out of there seats with laughter, so I continue. "Can I ask you a serious question Caesar? Do I smell like roses to you, take a whiff."

Caesar looks astounded by this question, but he takes a whiff and nods, "tell me do I smell like roses."

I smell Caesar, which makes the audience laugh they must be running out of breath. "You definitely smell better than I do."

"Well, I've lived here longer." He replays, "tell me is there a special girl back home?" I shake my head, "come on handsome man like you, Peeta tell us."

"There is this one girl I've had a crush on forever, but I don't think she actually recognised me until the reaping."

"Aahh, well," he exclaims. "You go out there and you win this thing, then when you get back home she'll have to go out with you."

"I don't think winnings gonna help me at all."

"Why ever not?" Caesar asks with a curious look on his face."

I take a breath and just come out and say it, "because she came her with me." The audience gasp and there talking so loud amongst themselves that Caesar can't get another question in, the buzzer then goes, I shake Caesar's hand and walk off the stage in the opposite direction I came on. I go backstage, walk down some stairs, where I see Haymitch, Effie, Portia, Cinna and Katniss, all waiting for me. I'm about to be congratulated by Haymitch, when I see a hand come out of nowhere, and Katniss has pinned me up against the wall causing me to knock a glass vase off a table. She's shouting at me, cursing me, but then Cinna and Haymitch pull her off me and I'm ushered across to the lift by Effie and Portia as Cinna and Haymitch try and calm, Katniss down.

When I'm in the lift Effie and Portia congratulate me on such a successful interview, when I feel a pang of pain come shooting through my hand, I look down at it and it's bleeding, and there is a piece of glass stuck in it from the vase. As I attempt to pull the price of glass out I let out a gasp of pain and Portia notices my hand, "we'll get that out when we're upstairs, don't worry she'll get over it it's just a lot to take in for her."

We're soon at the top of the training centre on our level, and Portia takes me to the bathroom in my room, she gets some tweezers and carefully pulls out the glass, it kills but I try not to show it. Taking the glass out makes it bleed more so Portia wraps my hand up in some bandages which stops the blood getting everywhere.

We go into the screening room, to watch the replays of the interviews, which I can see Katniss clearly doesn't want to do. When there over Effie tells us to get to bed, Katniss is first to get up, I follow her all the way to her room when she finally turns around.

"So, what was that about earlier?" I ask determined to find out sooner or later.

"Not here, it's a little to quiet," Katniss replies suggesting for us to go somewhere where no one can hear us. I grab her hand and guide her down the corridor to the end door, we walk up the stairs and we come to the top of the training centre, which Cinna showed me. We go to the edge and I look at her expectantly.

"Well, one day when me and Gale were in the woods, we heard footsteps which never could be heard, so we hid and we watched." She explained, "a boy and girl ran into view they both had red hair, and they looked like they were running away from something, then a hovercraft flew over and the girl was captured but they speared the boy and then picked him up with a net. All the time me and Gale just watched and as the girl was captured she saw me and she mouthed 'help' to me but I didn't do anything."

"So, you think it was that avox?"

"Well, she looked just like that, and if she was running away that probably makes her a traitor," Katniss replied.

"So, the other day you were gonna tell me something about Gale, what did you want to tell me?" I ask.

"Well, only I know about it, it's our little secret. But since most likely none of us will make it back, it doesn't really matter about keeping it. Gale admitted to me when he was sixteen and I was fifteen that he was bisexual, I know everyone thinks that we'll eventually get together but we're only so close because I support him." I stand open mouthed looking at Katniss, when I moan as a pain goes through my injured hand, "sorry, I attacked you."

"It's ok," I assure her. "You know I meant it as a compliment."

"I realise that now." Katniss says, and she flashes a gorgeous smile, "how did you know about this place and how come we're aloud up here surely someone could comit suicide."

"Cinna showed it me," I answer and she glares over the city angrily. "They can't comit suicide because of the force field, watch."

I pick an apple off the same tree Cinna did, and I throw it at the force field it soon rebounds back into my hand, "see, even if we wanted to we couldn't, in the Capitol's mind we should die in style."

Katniss giggles, "I hope I at least get to the final eight, for my sister's sake. I'd probably kill myself if I died in the bloodbath." We both burst out laughing, she has the most beautiful laugh!

"I just don't want to die as a playing piece in there games, I keep trying to find away of showing them that."

Katniss looks at me like I'm crazy, but it's true, I own myself even though President Snow makes decisions about the lifestyle of District twelve doesn't mean, he can stop me from doing what I wish, he doesn't own anyone but himself, people just have to realise that. Katniss yawns and so I follow her down the steps and she steps into her room I continue down the corridor to my room. I fall on the bed and drop off to sleep in my own world of fantasies, tomorrow is the start of the 74th annual hunger games.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys, sorry to Gale fans but I'm team Peeta!<strong>

**If I do his POV on a Catching Fire fan fiction that will be when the love triangle starts but not necessarily with Gale.**

**Thanks for reading**

**Love you all**

**xxx**


	12. The Countdown

"Wake up, today is the biggest day ever!" Effie exclaims, when knocking loudly on my door to wake me up. Today is step 2 of Haymitch's plan, he said he'll tell me before we step on the hovercraft, which takes us to the arena. I get out of bed, and at the end of it there is some combat trousers, a plain black t-shirt and some brown boots, I have a quick shower and then I get dressed. I walk into the dining room for breakfast and sitting at the table is Haymitch, Effie and Katniss, Katniss is wearing exactly the same as me which I expected as it's usually what happens.

I sit down next to Haymitch and opposite Effie, I figured there sitting like that as talk would be awkward between me and Katniss, as within two weeks I'll be dead and Katniss will have won the games. I know I should fill myself up but I have a fear of if I eat to much I'll throw it back up, so I just have some bread rolls which I dip in hot chocolate. We say our goodbyes, to Effie and Haymitch, then me, Katniss and Haymitch all head to the roof where there's a hovercraft waiting for the tributes.

I stand on the ladder and I'm frozen to stop me falling (or jumping) off, as soon as I'm in the hovercraft two peacekeepers guide me towards a room where I see 11 other tributes, there's one seat left which I assume is mine, I sit down in it. When I've sat down a peacekeeper comes over with a needle, I have a massive phobia of needles but since I'm in front of half the tributes I can't show a weakness. She asks me for my right arm, I hold it up she inserts something into my arm, which flashes when it's under my skin. I assume it's some sort of tracker or sat nav thing, so that the people back at the Capitol can locate me.

When we've taken off a peacekeeper comes and takes me to a different room, it's small and has metallic walls in the corner I see a tube, standing next to the tube is Portia. I walk over to her and give her a hug as she's probably going to be the last person I see who does not have the intention of eventually killing me. I step back when I realise, Haymitch didn't tell me the plan so I have no idea of what to do.

"Portia," I say worryingly, "Haymitch never told me the plan, what do I do?"

"He told me to tell you that, when the gong goes run out of sight but make sure you can make your way back to the Careers so Katniss doesn't know about the careers. Then when the bloodbath is over go to Cato and he knows that your an ally." She explains, "just follow them, guide them through evidence of where Katniss has been but don't find her. One more thing, don't tell them about how good she is with a bow, that's a secret that needs to be kept."

I'm so thankful that Portia knows, it probably would have been better if Haymitch was the one to tell me but I guess it's half my fault for getting on the hovercraft first. Portia hands me a jacket, she says it's thermal so I should expect cold nights and the boots have good grip so there could be rocky/ slippery terrain.

An announcer says that we should prepare for launch, I give Portia another hug and step into the tube in the corner of the room. I look up, the arena is right above me, then the floor of the tube starts to rise beneath me as I near the top I'm blinded with sunlight. When the sun is finally out of my eyes, I see all the tributes in a semi-circle and these positions we will wait in for sixty seconds if we step off a second earlier we're blasted into ashes. The area surrounding me is just grass then surrounding one side of the grass is a forest and the other is tall thin grass. I glance around the tributes in search for Katniss and I find her, she is positioned to run for the Cornucopia sh can't though she'll die. She glances over and we make eye contact for about ten seconds the timer is on 5, I shake my head.

She looks puzzled, 4 . . .

3 . . .

2 . . .

1 . . .

The gong goes and she sighs I take one last glance back before taking off for the edge of the woods following Haymitch's instructions as I stop just at the border line, I tur to see Katniss wrestling another tribute for an orange backpack. I see Clove and she flings a knife into the back of the other tribute which throws Katniss back, she's on the floor with no where to go I think it's all over for her, when Clove releases the knife Katniss raises the back pack to sheild her face and the knife stabs into it. Clove is shocked at Katniss's reflexes and gives Katniss enough time to jump up with the backpack and run off to the woods. I lean against a tree andsigh, Iguess I'll be hear a while, the sounds are horrid you can hear people dying every minute, when it's about midday I get up as the canons fire to signal the end of the bloodbath, I don't bother counting as I've got a job to do.

As I walk over to the Cornucopia Marvel and Glimmer are poised to fire when Cato puts there weapons down and seems to be explaining to them, "We need him, he knows Fire Girl he can get to her."

"I only agreed to ally with the Careers nevermind a District 3 boy and a Lover Boy," Glimmer replys. "But I guess your right, we do need him whether I want to admit it or not the only way to get her is to ally with him."

"Welcome to the Careers, Lover Boy!" Cato says and I imediately hate the nickname and know that I will for my entire time in this arena. "Help us move the supplies, we want it piled high and in a pyramid. Come on!"

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry I haven't updated lately guys I've been hooked on writing a new Hunger Games story called Songs of my life and I also have and idea for another story too! Hope you guys take a glance and review both this and the others.<strong>

**Keep Reading!**

**Love You All!**

**XXX**


	13. The Mockingjay

It doesn't take long for us to move the supplies, because every single one of us except the guy from District three (I still have no clue why he's with the careers) has enough muscle to move to big boxes of supplies at the same time. When we've finished it's nearly dark, Marvel is chosen to stay with the guy from district three (whose name I find out is James), while the rest of us hunt for the others. We grab what look like sunglasses and a full bottle of water along with a weapon of our choice each, I chose a small sword because I don't specialize in any weapon and it's probably one of the easiest to handle.

We leave Marvel and James at the pyramid whilst we go and scavenge for the other tributes, Cato suggests I try and keep a look out for any signs of where Katniss could have been. I tell them Katniss likes place with lots of plants so she'll probably be hiding in the forest, it isn't a complete lie but I can't go telling the entire world of Panem that she hunts illegally. I tell them where I saw her run but just vaguely to decrease the chances of reaching her, we try to keep a low profile so that no one can hear us coming.

After about two hours we begin to hint that we want to go back in the most discreet way possible, I've found out that the sunglasses are night vision glasses so we can see everything clearly. Glimmer says that she hears the crackling of fire, Clove thinks she's delusional when Cato and I both hear it, I start to pray for the love of God that it's not Katniss. As we near the fire, Clove finds a snare which can only be Katniss's and it makes me worry more that maybe I am going to be the cause of Katniss Everdeen's death.

Glimmer spots orange light from through a bush, I peak through the greenery and see the girl from district eight sitting alone at a fire. I silently breathe a sigh of relief and Cato barges past me followed by Glimmer and Clove and I then tag on behind. We've surrounded the girl and she's panicking, she starts to mumble a jumble of words that make no sense, Cato then steps forwards and slashes her across the chest. She falls to the ground and seems to be on the verge of death, I continue to follow the Careers who are laughing and mimicking the girl with not one single sign of remorse. We scramble through some overgrowth and Cato asks me,

"Are you sure she's around here," he asks. "I'm not so sure."

"Yeah," I say looking around the trees and I spot her sitting in a tree looking at us, she'll never forgive me. "That was one of her snares back there."

"Hey, guys, shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now," Glimmer says still laughing at a joke Clove just told her about the girl.

"I'll go and see her," I can't believe I'm going to say this. "And if needed, I'll give her another stab."

The others looked shocked at my statement before they can say anything in reply I head back through the overgrowth and there's a horrific sight in front of me. There is blood everywhere and the girl has an ever bleeding slash across her chest, I walk over to her and squat by her, she doesn't deserve this, none of us do.

"Peeta," she says hanging on to the last breath, I'm surprised she knows my name when I look at her she continues. "Before you kill me remember it's to bring me away from all this sadness and to happiness."

She takes a deep breath, I hold her hand so she has something to hold on to but she still carries on. "She has to win. Make sure the Mockingjay is set free."

She takes her last breath and her chest stops rising and I hear a cannon fire, it's the end for another innocent child. I'm still processing what she says as I reach the Careers, we don't say anything for some unknown reason, we decide it's time for a rest so we make our way back to the pyramid of supplies.

I notice a difference and realise there is what looks like little mole hills surrounding the pyramid where the mounds of earth stop, our camp begins, Marvel and James have set out plenty of water and food as well as sleeping bags and pillows. Before we get to sleep we decide to make arrangements about the rationing of food in the morning and we decide on the night watches. I get an estimated two hours of sleep before I will be awaken by Clove and Marvel and have to take a watch with James, I drift off into sleep.

I don't however have a peaceful sleep it's full of nightmares about Katniss dying in lots of horribly gruesome ways and I'm glad when Clove wakes me with a harsh shake. I sit up and rub my eyes it's incredibly dark and so I grab my set of night vision glasses and find everything a lot clearer, Marvel is waking up James who must be an incredibly heavy sleeper as it takes ages to wake him up.

We sit on the grass near the camp picking up the grass in clumps in an awkward silence I glance over at James to see him doing the exact same thing. So I attempt at conversation, "so, what brought you to ally with the Careers?"

"It wasn't a choice, I was requested because of my brains and my idiotic mentor decided to say yes without asking me first. Turns out, now I've buried and set up all the bombs my job as a career is done but for some reason they haven't killed me."

I nod and we go back to our awkward silence for the rest of the two hours, I start to think about the girl and what she said. It made no sense, who was she talking about? And all this gibberish about setting a Mockingjay free. So before waking Cato and Glimmer I decide to ask James another question, "what's a mockingjay?"

"Are you kidding? It's an amazing bird a cross between a Jabberjay and a Mockingbird, it was actually an accident of the Capitol. A Jabberjay is genetically engineered to listen to words said by the districts and repeat them back to the Capitol. But the district's found out and the whole project failed, it proves that even the smallest of creatures can defy the Capitol. The Capitol set them free and instead of going extinct like the Capitol wanted they mated with Mockingbird's. You've seen one," I'm shocked at this, I barely ever see birds never mind accidentally created birds. My puzzled look made him continue, "it's the bird on Katniss's pin."

Then everything starts to make sense, the girl was referring to Katniss winning, she wants the hidden rebellion of the Mockingjay released into the other district's which will mean a huge rebellion. The Mockingjay must be set free . . .

Katniss is the Mockingjay.

* * *

><p><strong>I couldn't get Peeta to be a murderer because that's not his personality, he's supposedly one of the only Victors who won The Hunger Games by chance so I felt it didn't make sense if he killed the girl. And also I wanted the other tributes to have a bigger part in this because there left out in the books as it is from Katniss's POV so I thought I'd make the most of Peeta's days in The Hunger Games. <strong>

**Keep reading and reviewing!**

**Love you all!**

**xxx**


	14. Tracker Jackers

A few days go by and me and James are always left to keep guard but after about three days they decide that they need my help so I have to join them, in their search for Katniss. We're at the lake when we hear distant fire but it seems so big it can't possibly be a tribute's fire gone out of control, the idiotic careers decide to search closer near the fire. We're following a small brook and we are about to reach a small pond when we hear a splash and the careers are immediately alert. We begin to run and I'm hoping to God it's not Katniss but God has not heard my prayers because Cato shouts, "seems we've finally found you, Girl on Fire."

We are running now, clearly chasing Katniss with Cato in the lead and me bringing up the rear end, we stop in front of a tall tree and as I look up the slender trunk, I see Katniss a few metres off the ground. I expect Cato to begin to climb but he doesn't instead he listens to what Katniss has to say.

"So how are you finding the arena?" She asks, "I'm sure you've got plenty of food and supplies stashed up, haven't you?"

"As a matter of fact we have and the arena has just got a whole lot better," he says but he still does not climb. "How have you been?"

"It's been a bit too hot for my liking," Katniss replies and I have to hold back a chuckle she must be indicating the fire but why isn't she escaping? "Everyone knows your going to come up sooner or later, why are you hesitating?"

And with that Cato begins to climb and Katniss climbs further up, a bit too high for my liking, I notice that Cato is a lot slower than Katniss and he hesitates, not sure where to put his hand, he reaches up for a small branch and because of it's weight it immediately snaps and he falls to the ground and Katniss stops climbing. Glimmer sighs at Cato and grabs her bow which I can tell, Katniss is jealous of, and aims for Katniss but I've seen her in training she nearly always misses her target.

She releases the arrow and as I hold my breath, the arrow flies passed Katniss head narrowly missing her ear, Glimmer fiddles around with the bow a bit and she has it reloaded. She aims, fires and the arrow lodges in a piece a trunk near Katniss, surprisingly Katniss picks it up and waves it above our head teasing them.

"Thanks, I can use this when I get my bow," Katniss says. "Maybe you should throw a sword, you might have a better chance."

"Maybe we should just wait her out," I blurt out and everyone, even Katniss, stares at me. "She's got to come down soon or she'll starve to death, right?"

"Okay, I'll go get some wood, set up camp," he instructs. We all follow his orders but I occasionally glance up to check on Katniss but she doesn't move a lot. As it begins to get dark, I lie down and just watch Katniss, I hear something and so does Katniss, I watch her trying to communicate with the shadows, she glances further up the tree and I see a wasp nest of some sort. While Katniss is looking up at the nest, a small parachute comes down and lodges in a nearby branch, it's a gift from a sponsor. She opens the container reads something and then applies something to her calf which makes her sigh and then she grabs a knife from her rucksack, which she grabbed from the Cornucopia, and the anthem comes on but I don't let it distract me.

I atch as Katniss climbs the tree higher and I feel my heart nearly pounding out of my chest, what if she falls, she reaches up with the knife and begins to saw away at it the noise is hidden by the anthem, she gets about halfway through the branch when the anthem ends. She slides back down the tree and straps herself into a tree with a rope and shuffles in her sleeping bag and before long she seems to be asleep.

Glimmer takes first watch but when everyone is asleep apart from me, I hear her soft snores, indicating that she has fallen to sleep, I roll on to my back and look at the branch which Katniss had been sawing, her plan must be to drop the nest on us all. Realisation crosses my mind and I cautiously move furthest away from the tree, I make sure that I won't have a lot to pick up when I flee and I attempt to sleep with no success. I watch Katniss all night and at the crack of dawn, she shuffles about and gets out of the sleeping bag, she has a bite to eat and then packs everything away slinging it on her back. Katniss climbs the tree and saws away quickly, a few wasps which are alot bigger than I though they would be find their target and stings Katniss but then the nest begins to fall and I grab my stuff and run for the lake, these are definately not wasps, one manages to sting me and it kills and I have to stop.

I see Cato further back from me gets three stings and I hear him say, "We'll have to go back, have you seen Glimmer?" there is no answer, "Those damn Tracker Jackers! I'm sure Mellark had something to do with this, he had moved places in the night and decided not to wake any of us. We never should've trusted him!"

Oh no, now the careers are against me, what if Katniss is still there? I automatically begin to sprint back the way I came, I can hear distant running, Cato is going back to get her I run faster and faster and I reach the tree. Katniss is trying to untangle the bow from a decomposing Glimmer, she gets it and I pull her up.

"Katniss, what are you doing here? You have to go! Get out of here, go!" I shout and she seems puzzled but she clambers about for a couple of minutes before running off into the trees, I sigh but not for long because I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn and see Cato with an evil smile on his face, he has a sword in his hand and I know if he kills me it's going to be incredibly painful. He raises the sword and I turn around and run but the sword catches me on the leg but I have to keep running, I run and run until I can no longer hear Cato, I sit down and I'm at the lake, the pain in my leg is excruciating but there's nothing I can do.

I go to a dip in the rocks and I find lots of mud and I get an idea, for what seems like hours I sit by the lake mixing crushed rocks and water to get the right colour when I'm satisfied I starts to paint myself eventually I'm so well camouflaged even a hawk couldn't see me. I guess I've got to just wait for nature to come and get me.


End file.
